Claude frowned, studying the room until he finds the man behind the door his wife had left open.
The man seemed to be staring at him intently, and when he turned to see him, he quickly looked down, causing him to frown in confusion.
" He is right there, madam."
He said pointing to the butler behind the door
Eléonore turned to look at him, then turned again to Claude with a nod.
" T-Thank you... my dear"
She said a little too loudly and quickly turned and walked toward the butler. He watched her leave, returning his gaze to his desk.
He saw the butler whisper something to Eleanor, and she nodded with a sad look on her face. Claude wondered what it was all about, but before he could have any ideas, he felt Her hands roaming his body.
He froze, feeling her hand move along his hip and around his thigh, moving closer and closer to his crotch.
" Stop…"
He whispered, running his hand through the air around his leg in a vain attempt to shoo her away. The touching continued and he could feel her smirk against the back of his neck. He shivered, feeling her fingers circle his inner thigh as she teased him with her not-so-innocent scratches against his genitals.
" Stop that"
The servants who had come to bring him tea and cakes on the butler's orders turned to their master at his muffled outburst, giving him strange looks as he blushed in embarrassment.
There was a demented laugh in his ear and he frowned in frustration.
He could feel her presence behind him, watching him with that sick smile on her face as she imagined the torment of tonight. Every once in a while, he felt her warm breath against his face or neck, her luscious lips brushing the bite mark on his neck to remind him that she was there.
Go away… he thought, knowing that she could hear him. She didn't comment on that thought and continued to touch and tease him.
It was half the day, he had to go train with the soldiers in charge of protecting the domain. So, after lunch, they put on their armor and ran around the training area. She followed him, not letting him out of sight for a second. In the dressing room where he had to change, she had observed him, without once looking at the other males changing. She only had eyes for him, she liked to remind him. What about him attracted her? If only he knew...so he could get rid of it.
Once the warm-ups were over, the real training could begin. Claude wasn't feeling well so he chose to just walk around the practice area pretending to watch everyone's efforts. He wasn't ready to do too much exercise today, so he just put his hands in his pockets and walked alone along the training area.
He was in a bad mood today, as he had been for the past few weeks. She drained him of all his energy, leaving him feeling like an empty shell.
" My dear?"
Claude frowned in exasperation when he felt her claws dig into the back of his neck as his wife came running after him.
Her stare angered the demoness and he received another claw that made him sigh in pain.
" Mrs?"
he asked, stopping as she caught her breath. He imagined that running in such a big dress must be hard.
" I wanted to know if you would like to have a snack with the boys and me after training."
Eleanor looked up at him, frowning softly for a second before blushing like she had that morning. Then straightened up and looked at him shyly.
" My dear... can I speak to you, please?"
she asked softly.
" Of course"
he said lightly, trying to give the impression that everything was fine despite the claws still digging into his back.
" What's up?"
Eleanor inhaled quickly, closing her eyes for a second before opening them and looking him straight in the eye.
" I would like you and me to spend some time together tonight....it's been months and…"
" All right? I'll choose a place to go and…"
"No, my dear...I mean… I want you and me...in my room and…"
Claude's eyes widened as there was a growl in his ear and fingernails dug so deep into his back. He was afraid blood was staining his shirt. He bit the inside of his cheek, fighting the urge to scream.
" Oh, I see."
he said, gritting his teeth.
" I want you…"
continued Eléonore, unfazed by her husband's pained tone.
" I want you for months. I tried to tell you earlier unfortunately, I got discouraged but now, I'm here and I want to know if you'll come to me tonight around 8 p.m. while I put the children to sleep. And…"
Claude just stared at her as she rambled loudly, his eyes wide and his shoulders tense as he listened to the growls and hisses she emitted in his ear. Éléonore's voice seemed to fade slightly as a familiar and haunting new voice whispered in his ear.
**She will die...**
Claude's breath quickened in shock as suddenly Eleanor stopped rambling to gasp and touch her cheek, a grimace shaking her body.
" Ouch... what is it?"
" What happened?"
He asked apprehensively, praying to heaven that what just happened had nothing to do with Her.
" I don't know…"
Eleanor said, pulling her hand away to look at her palm in confusion.
" I'm bleeding?"
Claude looked in horror at Eleonore's cheek. Along the cheekbone was a thin curved scratch. It wasn't very deep, but enough to draw blood and show Claude what was planned.
**She will die**
" It must be an insect or something like that"
Eléonore shrugged, then turned her gaze to Claude. She frowned at his pale face.
" My dear??"
" I have to go...I have to leave now."
" Hold on"
Claude turned on his heels and fled from Éléonore as she called his name, a downcast look on her face. She must have thought he was running away from her request, hurting her deeply. But he wasn't running away from her, he was running away to save her.
**She's going to burn...**
" No Please…"
Claude got off the track and jumped over the fence, running into the house and away from the training area. He heard the captain of his guard shout his name but ignored all sounds other than her voice.
**She dared to steal you from me...**
" No, she didn't."
Claude screamed in the air, running as fast as he could; as if he could escape her and her evil ways.
" She... she is my wife and just wanted to spend a night with me... it's normal…"
**You are mine Claude Von Hosten**
" Leave me alone"
He argued, panting as sweat began to trickle down his forehead. His lungs burned from the speed at which he was running. He couldn't escape her, she was clinging to him with her claws deep in his soul. He was trapped, with nowhere to go.
**It's time for you to become mine forever...**
Claude felt his head spin as his energy suddenly began to leak out of him in waves. He stumbled slightly, his vision blurring as he heard the sound of her laughter bouncing off the walls of his psyche.
He felt his throat constrict, his heart racing. He couldn't run anymore, he needed to stop and rest before he fainted in the middle of the halls of the mansion
He stumbled down a hallway, moaning as his head throbbed in incredible pain. He leaned against the wall and tried to go a little further.
**Silly!**
So he came to his room and blocked the door. He leaned against the door to his right and slid onto his ass, gasping as he listened to the arrhythmic beating of his heart.
It was going so fast…
His head was spinning as his body heated up in a fight or flight response and directed its blood flow to vital parts of his body in a panic.
But he was too weak to fight or flee.
So he sat there, letting torment shake his body and mind as he slowly closed his eyes and let the darkness consume him.
****
He was dreaming? The world he now inhabited seemed surreal to him, but he knew he was there. Was it a dream? Was it a reality? Or somewhere in between?
He looked around and was shocked to find it was his bedroom. He remembered running like hell, but then nothing. It was as if darkness began to settle over him since he woke up and it wasn't until he left the trail that it finally captured him.
He looked at his bed, his walls, and his desk. He frowned in confusion. Everything was... gray. It was as if the very life of his room had been drained of it, left dry and soulless. He looked down at him too, seeing that he was still in his training clothes. Luckily, there was still life and color in it. He stared at his hands, the pink flesh that throbbed with blood and moved perfectly at his command.
Everything seemed so strange. He looked around again, his face in a deep frown as he tried to sort through his confused thoughts.
" Good morning."
He called, It must have been a dream, and if he was dreaming...
No response came to his call, and he heaved a sigh of relief. She was not here. It wasn't this hazy black world where she resided. It was his room, in his house, in his world, at least in his mind. She wasn't there and he was safe.
" Claude"
He froze in place, his eyes wide. An icy chill ran through his body as he scanned the room, searching for the source of the voice. It couldn't be her, because it wasn't the same nightmare. She couldn't be here.
" Claude"
The voice chanted his name cheerfully, and he shuddered in horror as he felt her breath on the back of his neck.
" Turn around my love"
He turned his head slowly, fear deep in his throat as a pair of golden eyes filled his eyesight.
" Oh no…"
He whispered as she gave him an evil smile.
" Oh yes! "
she said, wrapping her arms around his neck as she floated in the air, her feet dangling as she ran her hands along his collarbone.
"Did you miss me?"
" Let go of me"
Yelled Claude, tearing himself from her embrace and moving away from her.
" Dirty disgusting monster... You hurt Eléonore"
Her face twisted into an expression of rage. In an instant, Claude was pinned against the wall, his face gripped in her clawed hand with her face inches from his nose. She growled at him, baring her fangs to heighten his shock.
" Don't mention her name in front of me anymore"
she growled.
" Her soul will be mine... in due time."
She said letting him go to watch him fall to the ground. He held his face, startled by the strength of his grip.
"You better not touch her.
yelled Claude, standing up to face her. She was standing now, a good foot shorter than him. She had to crane her neck slightly to look at him, as he had to bend down to look at her.
" If you do, I swear to God-"
" God is not there"
she cut him off, a laugh leaving her lips.
"He left the second I spotted you."
Claude didn't know what to say to that. He stared at her, his mouth slightly open as she licked her lips, looking him up and down. He blushed at her lustful gaze.
" For what?"
" Why what?"
She smiled at him curiously.
" Why me? Why the hell are you doing all this to me?! 'Cause if you want my soul then why don't you just kill me?!"
" Claude."
she said, laughing as she cupped his face. He froze at her touch, the skin of her hand was smooth and hot against his skin. He denied feeling any arousal.
"I'm not going to kill you. I came to claim you"
" You keep saying that… but what are you talking about? If you're not going to kill me… then what?"
"I have already said it"
she said, moving a little closer, her body pressed against his. He took a deep breath, feeling her hips rubbing against his as her body curved perfectly into him.
" I came to claim you, Claude Von Hosten. I marked you as mine."
" Yours?"
he whispered, feeling his mind fizz at their closeness.
She nodded.
" Mine forever."
She leaned down and kissed him on the lips, her other hand cupping his face to hold him in case he tried to pull away.
He knew he should walk away, knew that kissing her back would only fuel her insatiable desire to torture and humiliate him. But the second her lips touched his, all the thoughts in his head were shattered.
She had never kissed him on the lips before. She had always come close with a kiss or just brushed her lips down his body to make him moan and shiver. But they had never kissed. And for a few seconds, he couldn't believe why they hadn't done it before...
He couldn't stop it. His body acted on its own. He leaned into the kiss, closing his eyes as he felt her lips lift in a smirk as she released her grip on his head knowing he wouldn't back down. He felt her claws slide down his chest, making him shiver.
She forced her tongue into his mouth, and he was too pleased to stop her from exploring his mouth. He leaned against the wall, feeling so helpless against the treatment she was giving his mouth. He licked her tongue, and the second he did, she recoiled with a teasing smile.
" You want me…"
she whispered, staring into his misty eyes.
"I can feel your excitement…"
" No…"
His weak fight attempt was brushed aside as she giggled and licked his cheek.
" It's time… Claude Von Hosten. You must be mine... my mate".
" Mate?
She nodded.
" Yes…"
She smiled, her fangs glinting.
" Mates are chosen for eternity... and I chose you."
" What are you?"
He whispered.
" I am a demon"
She said, blinking. In that blink, her eyes went from captivating green to wild gold.
" I devour souls. I have searched for so many years for someone worthy of my love... and now, I have found you, Claude Von Hosten."
She blinked again, her eyes turning green again.
" Say my name."
Claude expired.
" For what?"
" Because as soon as you say my name, I can take you."
She said, She suddenly recoiled, much to her dismay. She took his hand and led him to the bed, his mind so confused he couldn't think straight.
Take him as a mate?
" Say my name, Claude"
she whispered, pushing him onto the bed. His head hit the pillow and before he could blink, she was straddling him with her lips against his neck.
" Let me hear your beautiful voice say my name…"
" Christal…"
he finally replied.
"Say everything, my love"
She kissed from his neck to his chin, then back down his throat. All the while, her hands roamed his chiseled chest over his shirt.
" You know what it is."
"Christal Goldish…"
And he said it, maybe fortunately or unfortunately.